


A Name in a Book

by Evitcani



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, M/M, Romance, Self-Image, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-30 21:57:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10885737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evitcani/pseuds/Evitcani
Summary: Death is a tale older than time. The god of change thinks he can write a better story.In which Kravitz doesn't see handsome, Taako tries not to flirt with death too egregiously, and they both get a better handle on the whole godhood deal.The gods and goddesses AU that, once again, absolutely no one asked for.





	A Name in a Book

**Author's Note:**

> This sorta came to me over a few days and wouldn't leave me alone until I sat down to write it. 
> 
> It's not as much of a direct parallel as my other two AUs, so I debated not posting it at all. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flower in his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starts a little mopey, but does a 180 pretty quick.

There were two new gods, but it changed nothing. Few things ever made a difference in Kravitz’s existence. Everything was a part of the endless cycle of life. He was the one tasked with maintaining its sequence. 

He was the first thing the universe created and he knew, in the same way he had known how to walk when the universe gave him human form, that he would be the last. As a child the universe had placed into the world, he stumbled into a field of flowers marveling at the array of beauty the universe had spun from order. Yet, Kravitz did not know death then. He was but a toddler chasing every new splash of color. 

The universe created a bird. It had created more birds, but this particular raven was the first Kravitz had seen. He chased it to the ends of the world. When it died, he held its little body close to his ear and cried. He cried for days, vigilant over what was left for hopes that breath might return to it. 

Flowers sprouted from its grave and Kravitz understood death. 

He had woken up the next day as something that more or less resembled a man; in his hands was a book of light. As every god who would come after him, Kravitz knew what he was meant to do.

Merle slapped his hand on Kravitz’s desk, disrupting the quills and bottles of ink on his desk, “Come on, man. Doesn’t it seem a little strange to you?” A raven cawed at him reproachfully, ruffling its feathers.

Kravitz quickly snatched a bottle of ink before it could shatter on the floor and pet the raven until it calmed down. “Are you asking for my opinion or do you want me to agree with you? I really can’t tell sometimes.” He handed the file the raven was waiting for over and folded his hands on top of his desk as it flew off. 

Merle grumbled, crossing his arms. “This is why I’m the only one who visits you. Well, come on, honest opinion,” he gestured at Kravitz to go on. 

“Yes, it seems strange we haven’t had them before, but the universe does not create things accidentally. She selects gods as they are needed,” Kravitz shrugged. “What need there is, well, there is already a meeting tomorrow.”

He expected the disbelief spilling across Merle’s face. “Oh, hooey. Giving me that ominous mumbo jumbo about the universe. You can trick the youngsters because you’re scary, but I’m onto your tricks, _Death_ ,” Merle warned, waving a finger at Kravitz. 

Kravitz summoned his book of light, setting it on the desk and drumming his nails across it idly. Merle eyed it warily, as unnerved by it as all gods seemed to be. “Well, _Nature_ , Merle, maybe you shouldn’t ask my opinion if you know what I’ll say,” he said pointedly, shrugging. “If you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than gossip.”

Merle rolled his eyes, “Fine, fine, I can tell when I’m not wanted.” He sniffed dramatically, trudging to the door. 

“I told you that you weren’t wanted,” Kravitz called after him. 

“Asshole!” 

Kravitz lifted his feet up before the vines could grab him, setting his feet aside as they grew into the thicket thriving under his desk. He’d have to do something about that soon. He laughed to himself and went back to work, looking over the book of light for abnormalities and cross-checking it with his papers that didn’t change like the book did. Pausing, he decided to look at the back for the two new gods. A raven delivered the appropriate file and he started filling out the information on the two, new names, ‘ _Lup, Goddess of Fire’_ and ‘ _Taako, God of Change_ ’. 

He sent another raven off to gather what he needed about both of them from their mortal lives to avoid having them accidentally flagged as an inconsistency. The world did _not_ need another Magnus Burnsides incident. Their files were as brief as their lives had been. Twins, with a few murders on record, mostly insects. They seemed surprisingly nondescript in incident reports in comparison to certain, other gods. As he was reading, music began somewhere upstairs. Likely, the party celebrating the new arrivals. He closed out their files, marking them as gods. 

There was more work for him to turn to and his presence was never appreciated. It didn’t feel like long at all until the thrumming was practically inside his skull. Kravitz grimaced, sending the book away. He stood up and slipped out beneath the moonlight, taking the well-worn path to his field. 

This far away, the music had softened enough to be sweet. He smiled, sitting down between the flowers. No sooner had he sat down, he heard someone coming down the path. He tried to ignore it, sinking lower; it was probably Merle trying to drag him to the party. 

Whoever it was paused as they got closer. “Hey, uh, is someone there?” 

Kravitz had no idea who _that_ was. He sat up quickly, worried about a mortal getting too close to the city. The stranger screamed in terror, dropping a basket to the ground. He jumped backwards, tripping on a log and falling. 

As offended as Kravitz was, that sounded like it had hurt. He sprang to his feet, hurrying over. The elf was sprawled across the ground, groaning and rubbing his head. Kravitz offered his hand. “Are you quite alright?” It was the strange aura around gods that gave this one away, too. One of the new gods, then.

Taako’s eyes opened and he sighed in what sounded like relief, putting a hand over his heart. Kravitz glanced at his own hand and realized he was offering the skeletal one; he switched to the other one self-consciously. Taako took it hesitantly, letting Kravitz haul him back to his feet. “Uh, sorry, my man, you surprised me. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be out here,” he tittered awkwardly. 

“You asked if someone was here,” Kravitz replied plainly. He started back to his spot in the field, he had no time for this new god to politely try to make excuses.

“Has anyone told you that, like, a quarter of your face is missing, compadre?”

Kravitz paused, mid-step. He raised his shoulders defensively, turning around. “Excuse me?”

Taako shrugged, grinning at Kravitz, “No disrespect, got a spooky hellfire thing in your left eye there. Seen your optometrist lately?” It didn’t sound like he was trying to be cruel. 

The corners of Kravitz’s lips twitched as he fought a smile. “Ah, yes, I’ve made it this far without ever noticing,” he shook his head disbelievingly. “Shouldn’t you be at the party, Taako?” He laid back down in the flowers, expecting Taako to take his easy excuse to leave.

“Kinda weird how everyone knows my name,” Taako shrugged. “Listen, being a god or whatever is cool. But at this point I want to drink in peace and Lup was too busy flirting. Taako needs to do his own thing sometimes, bubala.”

Kravitz hummed in response, listening to the rustling as Taako came closer. A moment later, Taako was leaning over him, basket in hand. He dropped it by Kravitz’s head, then sat down cross-legged, picking out a vine of grapes. Kravitz glared up at him, “Didn’t you say you wanted to drink in peace?” 

“Seems like a fine ass spot to me, my man,” Taako replied, popping a grape in his mouth. Kravitz snorted and wondered how many meetings Taako would be chased out of for language. “So, which ones are you? You know, domains.”

“Death,” Kravitz replied simply. 

Taako paused, flicking his gaze down to Kravitz, then back up towards the moon. “Rad. I’m talking to death,” he grinned. “Lup’s going to lose her shit.”

Kravitz laughed softly, turning his head. “My name is Kravitz. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said sincerely. 

Taako snickered, leaning closer to Kravitz and looking down at him. “You’re so fuckin’ polite. What’s up with that? I mean, you’re _death_ , don’t you step into people’s house like, ‘Stick ‘em up and give me all your souls!’” He waved his hands emphatically. Kravitz guffawed, covering his mouth. 

He looked back with a smirk, “Oh no, I don’t give them the time for that. Swing first; ask questions later. That’s my philosophy.” He shrugged, then dropped his hands and brushed his fingertips over the petals of the flowers idly.

“Hah,” Taako replied, leaning on an arm as he watched Kravitz’s face. “I probably scared you as much as you scared me back there and you came over to ask if I was okay, my dude.”

Kravitz pressed his lips in a thin line. “It’s nothing I’m unused to,” he said defensively. He paused when he realized his tone, unsure of who he was trying to convince. Taako frowned, brow creasing. Kravitz looked away, continuing insistently, “I am far from a vain creature.”

“You only surprised me,” Taako laughed and leaned over Kravitz, picking one of the flowers as their fingers brushed together. “Listen,” he drawled, tucking the flower behind Kravitz’s ear. Kravitz was distracted enough by the warmth lingering near his ear to stay quiet. “Listen. Being vain, bones, being vain is - Are you listening? This is some serious life advice here, Death,” he said seriously, leveling a gaze at Kravitz. 

Kravitz chuckled, nodding and waving his hand in Taako's direction. “Yes, I’m listening, go on.”

Taako nodded back, tracing the shell of Kravitz’s ear; the touch made Kravitz shiver. Taako grinned, fingers brushing against the petals of the flowers as he pulled his hand back. “Being vain is _my_ philosophy here, bubala. Have no reason not to, honestly, look at me for two seconds. I don’t see any reason why you _shouldn’t_ be. Look at you; you’re _Death_ and hoo boy has it just reached me that I’m in gods damn _heaven_.” His eyes gleamed with something Kravitz didn’t quite understand. 

Kravitz reached up to touch the flower tangled in his hair, amused Taako was only now understanding he was among the gods. “Why the flower?” Taako grinned, shaking his head.

“So you’ll look in the mirror later and _know_ you only _surprised_ me. Now, no changing the subject, fella. Still don’t believe you bust in and start rolling heads,” he persevered. 

Kravitz averted his eyes, knowing he wouldn’t look in the mirror later. “Well,” Kravitz started softly, “truth be told I do a lot more paperwork. The most daring thing I do is yell at a few ravens.” Kravitz wiggled his fingers menacingly and exaggerated a grimace, trying not to think too much about the flower petals brushing against his cheek. Taako laughed with a tiny snort that made Kravitz’s face soften. “You’ll learn that being in, ah, _heaven_ isn’t all that fun. If you think paperwork is boring, wait until you have to deal with prayers.”

Taako tittered nervously, averting his eyes. “Yeah, didn’t have much of a choice, my dude. Gotta make the best of it.” 

Kravitz looked back towards the moon. “I have been a god for a long time,” he said quietly. “If you’d like, I could try to help you make it better.”

To his surprise, Taako grabbed Kravitz’s skeletal hand, shaking it enthusiastically. “You got yourself a deal, death!” 

Admittedly, Kravitz hadn’t known exactly what he’d been getting into when he had offered his assistance. Perhaps, he was overwhelmed by the smell of flowers and wine. It could have been the sweet music from the party that had spilled in the breeze. Maybe, the warmth of Taako’s hand holding his for too long. Though, more likely, it was the way Taako’s smile made him think all the colors had grown more vibrant. 

Whatever his excuses, Death decided he would chase this, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully the next chapter should be up in a day or two. Working out a new chapter of the dragon AU at the same time.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to follow my [Tumblr](https://evitcani-writes.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Evit_cani).


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